Gary Chapman

Going the Distance: For Gary Chapman, professor of painting and drawing, the foremost benefit of his new space is scale. “I work on many pieces at one time, and having the ability to stand back from the work in progress and evaluate the work collectively is invaluable,” he says. And “having moved from a second-floor space to a ground-floor studio with a garage door has made loading the large-scale work safer and much easier.”

Chapman also says he values the fact that “my colleagues are so close by for support, critical feedback, and friendly exchange,” all of which “brings an additional energy to the environment that is palpable.”

Realism Beyond Reality: “Though I make images,” Chapman says, “I am not a camera. I am a realist; however, I am not interested in the simple reproduction of an image. I am interested in a realism that goes beyond pictorial reality and recognizes a broader and deeper understanding of what real means. In this realism, feelings, ideas, and emotions are as tangible as an apple or a face.”